The Cage

The walls we build around ourselves are the highest of all.

The zoologist examined Mohini, a beautiful tiger confined to a 12'x12' cage. Sympathy overwhelmed him as he watched the tiger pace back and forth, day after day, so he lobbied and succeeded in having a new habitat built for her.  There was green grass, rolling hills and a stream running through it.  With great anticipation, everyone involved watched as the tiger was released to her new home.  Astonishment overtook joy as Mohini walked to the back of her new area and began pacing, 12 feet one way, and 12 feet back.  She did this for the rest of her life.

My question for you is this...how big is the cage you have built for yourself?  If you limit your activities to those things you do now and don't stretch out and risk new adventures, you are much like Mohini.

Don't live each day the same as the last.  Explore new people, places and things.  Broaden your horizons, and if you find some things you don't like, fail at activities you try, or some people reject you, it's all right. You have stepped outside of your cage.

IT IS ALL IN YOUR HEAD!

Cindy

cakozak88@google.com

Minutiae Be Damned!

"What would your current frustrations look like from the vantage point of the final days of your life?" 

The above quote is taken from the book Open Your Mind. Open Your Life. A Little Book of Eastern Wisdom.

Have you ever noticed how people seem caught up in the minutiae of the day? More importantly, have you ever noticed how you seem to be caught up in the minutiae of the day?  

I love today's quote because, to me, it reeks of wisdom.  We ponder and fret over a myriad of unimportant things that we can't seem to let go of.  It's as if these little details somehow give meaning to our days. My guess is that we ponder and fret over this small stuff because the really important things seem too overwhelming to deal with.

The next time you find yourself all wound up in some small detail, repeat this quote to yourself.  Better yet, write it on a note card and tape it to your bathroom mirror so it is one of the first things you see when you wake in the morning and one of the last things you see before you hit the sack.  In the grand scheme of things, what will it really matter?

IT IS ALL IN YOUR HEAD!

Cindy

cakozak88@gmail.com

Maybe You Should Give Up

                                                               radicallychristian.com

      "You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em."        ~~Kenny Rogers

Is giving up the same as failure?  If you don't continue with some project or a relationship, does that mean you failed?

I believe that sometimes giving up is the smart move.  When you come to a point where you honestly don't know what your next step should be, maybe you should give up.  When you try everything you can think of, and nothing seems to work, maybe you should give up.  When you continue to produce results that are not the results you seek, maybe you should give up.

There is no shame in giving all you've got to something and getting no worthwhile results.  It isn't failure to know when to disengage from something or someone and move on with your life. Instead, it may be an incredibly brave thing to do.

IT IS ALL IN  YOUR HEAD!

Cindy
cakozak88@gmail.com

Both Sides Now

The self exists both inside and outside the physical body, just as 

an image exists both inside and outside the mirror.  

~~Ashtavakra Gita (c.200BCE-c.200CE)

We often spend a good deal of time working on our outside appearance.  After the morning shower, we might apply lotion to soften our skin, take time fixing our hair, and apply makeup and perhaps some jewelry. Then we poke through the closet looking for an outfit that looks perfect for wherever it is we're going.

But how often do we take time to spruce up the "self" inside the physical body, especially the mind?  It doesn't matter how stunning we look on the outside if what's inside is cruel and dark. Beauty on the outside is great, but beauty on the inside...now that's something to strive for.

IT IS ALL IN YOUR HEAD!

Cindy
cakozak88@gmail.com

Going and Growing With Change

                                                             www.forbes.com


The following is from the book Open Your Mind. Open Your Life. A Little Book of Eastern Wisdom:

"It is easy to be the person you have always been, for it requires no change, no self-reflection and no growth. It may appear that changing means giving up something. In reality there is no need to give up anything...you must simply add to what has been."


Change...we really struggle with it, don't we?  We resist it, fight it, complain about it...and it still happens. I'm giving a presentation about change in September, which is probably why the above quote found me.  I opened the book to a random page, and there it was.

Change is something we all face more often that we might like.  But, when you think about it, change is what keeps us going and growing.  Change is all about adding to what you already have, so make friends with it and embrace it.  It is you old and ongoing friend.

IT IS ALL IN YOUR HEAD!

Cindy
cakozak88@gmail.com

Flowers of Pain

                                                        www.bloomsandplumes.com

The following is taken from the book "1001 Meditations. How to Discover Peace of Mind" by Mike George

The Flowering of Pain

Difficulties, whether in the form of difficult emotions, people or situations, are like struggling plants. Rather than casting them aside, we must attend to them, trusting in their potential. Water their twisted roots with tears of compassion. Bathe their leaves in the light and warmth of unconditional love. Watch as the plant grows strong and healthy to bear flowers of beauty and fruits of insight.  

Too often when we are faced with painful situations, our first reaction is to block out the pain...hide from it and pretend it doesn't exist much like a toddler who closes his or her eyes as a way to make things disappear.  In reality, a better choice is to open the door to the pain, let it in and sit with it until it leaves.  It will go in its own time, and we are stronger for it.

IT IS ALL IN YOUR HEAD!

Cindy
cakozak88@gmail.com

Risky Business

And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.  ~~ Anais Nin

(This post first appeared on July 1, 2013)

How much risk are you willing to take in your life? I’m not talking about life and death risk, I’m referring to the risk involved in stepping out of the comfort of your daily life and trying something
new. I’m always surprised by the number of people I meet who have wonderful, exciting plans that they keep putting off. Something “more important” always seems to pop up in their lives and moves them off track.

Make Some Brain Candy!

Exercise creates a "happy" chemical cocktail in your brain. 

A great way to stay smiling.

(This post first appeared on June 28, 2013)

This is about exercise, but please don’t stop reading yet. Exercise is the activity we find most difficult to integrate into our lives,  so I’m sure many of you will just dismiss this information with a “That’s nice,  but I

Spending vs. Investing

(This post first appeared on July   2013.)

Are you a spender or an investor? I’m not talking about finances
here – this is something infinitely more precious. I’m talking about
your time. Time is a resource that isn’t renewable once it’s gone.
You can’t barter with a colleague to get more time. You can’t drive

Independence Day

Be the kind of woman who, when your feet hit the floor in the morning,
the devil says "Oh crap, she's up." ~~ Unknown

Today is July 4th...Independence Day.  People will party with friends, have barbeques, or maybe shoot off fireworks.  It's a great way to celebrate the independence of the United States.

But, how do you celebrate your own independence?  Do you even feel independent?  Or do you never give your own independence a second thought?  As you celebrate July 4th, take a moment and celebrate the fact that you are also independent, even if you don't feel that way right now.

Make a conscious decision to start making your own choices, standing up for yourself when someone makes you feel less than you are, and just honoring life in general. You have a right to be here and to speak up (that's protected by the First Amendment).  Stop hiding in the shadows or lurking in the background...step out into the light and be who you were meant to be.  It's a beautiful thing, trust me.

IT IS ALL IN YOUR HEAD!

Cindy
cakozak88@gmail.com